Paper-carton opener



Jan- 2, 1934 w. GOLDSTEIN PAPER CARTON OPENER Filed Nov. 11, 1932flzzefifor Z amid Zz/ 5050 556671 by M Patented Jan. 2, 1934 PATENTOFFICE PAPER-CARTON OPENER Lewis Walter Goldstein, Pittsfield, Mass.

Application November 11, 1932 Serial No. 642,214

26 Claims. (01. 164-83) The present invention relates to cuttinginstruments and more particularly to instruments for opening corrugatedpaper boxes or cartons used for packing purposes.

It has heretofore been proposed to open cartons of the above-describedcharacter by cutting through and along the side walls of the carton,just below the top thereof, thereby permitting easy removal of the topand exposure of the contents. One convenient proposal embodying thisidea has involved mounting a razor blade fixedly upon a carriage that ismanipulated longitudinally along the carton, with the blade cutting intothe side walls in order to produce the said cutting operation therein.Prior proposals of this nature, however, have been of such a characterthat the instruments have not been adapted for use with different typesof boxes or cartons, with the result that sometimes, for some cartons,the cutting has been either too high or too low along the sides of thebox. If the'blade is fixed too high on the instrument, it may not cutlow enough down upon a box of thicker corrugated paper, with the resultthat an imperfect severing operation may be produced; and if the bladecuts too low below the top, it may result in damaging the goodscontained within the carton. If the goods are of such nature asexpensive womens clothing, for example, the damage may be irreparable.The construction, furthermore, has been such that manipulation of theinstrument has been awkward and more or less difficult, and theinstrument has not fitted the cartons properly. Prior proposals havebeen subject to other defects also.

An object of the present invention accordingly is to provide a new andimproved instrument of the above-described character with the use ofwhich it shall be possible to effect a cut in just the right position onany box, thereby insuring a proper cut and, at the same time, one thatshall not involve damaging the contents.

Another object is to provide the instrument with a suitably operatingblade. that may be adjusted to the particular box under considera tion.

-A further object is to provide an instrument, the body of which, handleincluded, is of one piece.

A further object is to provide an instrument of the above-describedcharacter that shall be adapted for more facile manipulation.

A further objectv is to provide an instrument of this character thatshall be cheaper to manufacture and efficient in operation.

A further object is to shape the instrument so that it shall fit betterthe boxes that it is adapted to open. Preferably, the instrument isprovided with dihedral faces for fitting corresponding faces of the box,the dihedral faces be- 'ing disposed at an angle somewhat more than aright angle, and provided with a groove along the intersection orjunction of the faces to receive rounded or bunched edges of the boxes.

Other and further objects will be explained hereinafter in connectionwith the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective of acarton box showing a preferred embodiment of the present inventionthereon; Fig. 2 is a perspective upon a larger scale of the instrumentshown in Fig. 1, but looking from the opposite direction; Fig. 3 is aperspective of an upper clamping member; Fig. 4 is a perspective of apreferred blade;'Fig. 5 is a perspective of a preferred lower clampingmember; Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the instrument shown in Figs. 1and 2; Fig 7 is an underside plan of the same; Fig. 8 is an endelevation; and Fig. 9 is a corresponding end elevation of amodification.

According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the instrumentis constituted of a dihedral angle member and a handle, all in onepiece, preferably made, as by casting or molding, of some suitablemetal, such as aluminum. The faces of the dihedral angle are indicatedat 2 and 4, and the handle at 6. The handle 6 extends from the face 2longitudinally of the instrument, but rather close to the line 8 ofintersectionof the faces 2 and 4. The instrument is provided with acutting blade 10 which is adapted to extend into a side wall 12 of acorrugated-paper or other carton, as illustrated more particularly inFig. 1, so that, as the instrument is moved forward in the direction ofthe arrow of Fig. 1, the blade will produce a cut parallel to the top ofthe instrument, as indicated at 14. The blade is positioned very near tothe line of junction of the faces 2 and 4, which faces are of sorelatively great magnitude that the blade is, in effect, I positioned aconsiderable distance away from all 100 the edges of the instrument,thus hiding the blade when the likelihood of accidental contacttherewith .is minimized. This is an importantsafety feature, preventingaccidental injury of the operator. r

The instrument is moved in the above-described manner along the foursides of the top 16 of the carton to produce a cut 14 in each side wall,just below the top 16, thereby severing the top 16 from the carton. Thefaces 2 and 4 are adapted to engage, respectively, the top 16 and theside walls, such as the side wall 12, of the carton. In order that theedges 18 between the top 16 and the side walls of the carton may beproperly received in the junction between the faces 2 and 4,particularly when these edges 18 are bunched or. rounded over, the face4 is provided with a groove 20 at the junction between thefaces 2 and 4.This groove 20 plays a further function for receiving the projections onthe edges 18, as will presently be described.

The angle between the top 16 and the side walls of the carton is usuallysomewhat more than a right angle, because, being made of paper, the sidewalls and the top 16 are sometimes forced to bulge in the neighborhoodof the-edges, like the edges 18. It is therefore preferred to have theangle between .the faces 2 and 4 also somewhat more than a right angle.That is, the thickness of one or both faces 2 and 4 is less at theextremities 56 than near the junction line between the faces 2 and 4.The end or ends 56 may, for example, be inch less thick than near thesaid junction line. This is shown exaggerated, for clearness, in thedrawing.

For some kinds and thicknesses of paper, the blade 10, if permanentlysituated, might cut into the side wall 12 at a distance so slightlybelow the top 16 as possibly not to sever the complete top 16 from thecarton. On the other hand, if the blade 10 is positioned lower below thetop 16 so as to accommodate boxes of this type, then for boxes of othertypes the blade 10 may be positioned so low down below the top 16 as toengage the goods inside the box. If the goods are-fragile clothing or ofsimilar nature, for example, this may result in damaging the contents.

In accordance with the present invention, the blade 10 is renderedadjustable up and down along the face 4 so as to be positioned at justthe right position below the top 16 for any particular type of carton.

To this end, the blade, which is preferably of uniform thicknessthroughout, as shown at 22 in Fig. 4, except along the cutting edge 24,is adapted to be positioned in a diagonally disposed cavity 26 ofuniform depth in the top of a clamping member 28, as shown moreparticularly in Fig. 5. The

blade is clamped in position between this clamping member 28 and afurther clamping member 30 by screws 32. The clamping member 30 isprovided with a diagonally disposed projection 31 corresponding inoutline to the outline of the cavity 26 and that of the blade 22, sothat the projection 31 bears against the blade 22 equally throughout thelimits of the cavity 26, thus to maintain the blade 22 in the cavity 26with uniform pressure throughout. As a consequence of this construction,the corner 34 alone of the blade projects beyond the cavity 26 and intoanopening 36, as shown more particularly in Fig. 2, in

the face 4. The opening is of substantial height, as indicated at 38, sothat the clamping members 28 and 30, with the blade clampedtherebetween, may be adjustably positioned at various levels in the saidopening 36.

To substitute one blade 22 for another, it' is necessary to remove onlyone screw .32, and to loosen slightly the other screw 32. The clampingmember 30 will then pivot slightly about the loosened screw 32. Thisprovides simplicity in replacement of the blade 22. The blade is sopositioned in the cavity 26 that its cutting edge shall face in thedirection of travel of the instrument along the box.

Conveniently to provide for the above-described adjustment, the clamp 28is carried upon a slide 40 that is adjustably mounted in a verticallydisposed guide 42 on the outer surface of the face 4, and it may befixed in adjusted position by means of a screw 44 extending through aslot 46 in the slide 40 and into a screw-threaded opening 48 in the face4. The screw 44 extends through a boss 62 that is integral with the backof the face 4. This boss provides strength for holding the screw andhelps guide the slide 40, which is therefore provided with a recess 64for this purpose. 1

The blade 10 and the clamps 28, 30 by which it is carried may bevertically adjusted along the face 4 merely by unscrewing the screw 44,manipulating the slide 40 up and down in the guide 42 until the blade 10occupies the proper adjusted position on the face 4, and then byretightening the screw 44. To facilitate this operation, the screw 44may conveniently take the form of a thumb screw, as shown in Fig. 9.

An opening 66 may be provided whereby the instrument may be hung on ahook.

Frequently, a box has a damaged or torn or ripped edge 18; or the edge18 is provided with a projecting piece 50 through some other cause thandamage. In such cases, if the advancing corner 52 of the instrument wereto engage this projecting or torn piece 50, further progress would beimpeded. According to the present invention, therefore, the innerportions of the forward ends of the faces 2 and 4, at the corner 52 arebeveled away, as shown at 54. These beveled faces 54 ride easily overthe projecting or torn or ripped pieces, which are thenreceived in thegroove 20, thus providing for a clean, even cut 14 all along the side ofthe box, without intertherefore, the cut 14 may be-made in the side wall12 of the carton at any desired proper distance below the top 16 of thecarton, merely by manipulating the instrument'in the direction of l isof substantial proportions and because of its.

location, it is impossible for the instrument to slip, and thereby thereis removed one source of danger to the operator. More than that, bymeans of this same, rugged construction, the knife. will always be heldrigidly and firmly in position on the side of the carton, enabling it 4to cut cleanly and without causing curling of the paper of the carton,or other defective cut. Because the handle is positioned as it is, andnot too far-ofl to one side, it is possible to efiect the severingoperation by a quick, single movement toward the operator. This singlemovement results in the severing of the whole, complete side in asingle, quick operation.

In accordance with this invention, therefore, boxes of different typesmay have their tops 16 quickly and efficiently removed without anydanger of damaging the contents.

It will be understood that the invention is not restricted to the exactembodiment thereof which is illustrated and described herein, but issusceptible of considerable modification and change by persons skilledin the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventionas defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed .is:

1. An instrument, of the class described for opening a paper box and thelike comprising a one-piece member and handlepthe member beingsubstantially in the form of a dihedral angle and the handle extendingfrom one of the dihedral faces exterior to the dihedral angle near theline of intersection of the faces thereof, the faces being adapted to bedisposed in contact with adjacent faces of the box and the instrumentbeing adapted to be moved along the said adjacent faces by the handle,and a blade extending from the other dihedral face into thecorresponding box face.

2. An instrument of the class described for opening a paper box and thelike comprising a dihedral angled member the faces of which are adaptedto be disposedin contact with adjacent faces of the box, the instrumentbeing adapted to be moved alongthe said adjacent faces, a bladeextending from one of the dihedral faces into the corresponding boxface, and means for adjusting the blade toward and from the line ofintersection of the dihedral faces.

3. An instrument of the class described for opening a paper box and thelike comprising a dihedral angled member the faces of which are adaptedto be disposed in contact with adjacent faces of the box, the instrumentbeing adapted to be moved along the said adjacent faces, the instrumenthaving a groove disposed longitudinally along the line of intersectionof the dihe dral faces for receiving a projecting, rounded edge betweenthe said. adjacent faces, and a blade extending from one of the dihedralfaces into the corresponding box face.

4. fin instrument of the class described for opening a paper box and thelike comprising a dihedral angled member the faces of which are adaptedto be disposed in contact with adjacent Y faces of the box, theinstrument being adapted to be moved along the said adjacent faces, theinstrument having a groove disposed longitudina ly along the line ofintersection of the dihe= dral faces for receiving a projecting, roundededge between the said adjacent faces, the faces of the member beingdisposed at an angle to each other slightly more than a right angle, anda blade extending from one of the dihedral faces into the correspondingbox face.

5. An instrument of the class described for opening a paper box and thelike comprising a dihedral angled member the faces of which are adaptedto be disposed in contact with adjacent faces of the box, the instrumentbeing adapted to be moved along the said adjacent faces, bladeholdingmeans, andmeans for disposing the blade holding means at varyingpositions toward and from the line of intersection of the dihedral facesalong one of the dihedral faces so that it may extend into various partsof the corre:

sponding box face.

6. An instrument of the class described for opening a paper box and thelike comprising a dihedral angledmember the faces of which are 1 adaptedto be disposed in contact .with adjacent faces of the box, theinstrument being adapted to be moved along the said adjacent faces, oneof the faces having an opening and a guide, and a blade-carrying slidedisposed near the opening and adapted to be adjusted in the guide towardand from the line of intersection of the dihedral faces.

7. An instrument of the class described for opening a paper box and thelike comprising a dihedral angled member the faces of which are adaptedto be disposed in contact with adjacent faces of the box, the instrumentbeing adapted to be moved along the said adjacent faces, a clampcomprising two blade clamping members one of which is provided with adiagonally disposed, blade-receiving cavity, means for clamping theblade clamping members together, and means for adjusting the clamptoward and from the intersection of the dihedral faces.

8. An instrument of the class described for opening a paper box and thelike comprising a dihedral angled member the faces of which are adaptedto be disposed in contact with adjacent faces of the box, the instrumentbeing adapted to be moved along the said adjacent faces, one of thefaces having an opening and a guide, a slide disposed near the openingand adapted to be adjusted in the guide toward and from the line ofintersection of the dihedral faces, a clamp carried by the slide andcomprising two blade clamping members one of which is provided with adiagonally disposed, blade-receiving cavity, and means for clamping theblade clamping members together.

9. An instrument of the class described for opening a paper box and thelike comprising a dihedral "angled member the faces of which are adaptedto be disposed in contact with adjacent faces of the box, the instrumentbeing adapted to be moved along the said adjacent faces, a blade ofuniform thickness having an angular cutting edge, a clamp comprising twoblade clamping members one of which is provided with a diagonallydisposed, blade-receiving cavity of correspondingly uniform thicknessand of shape corresponding to the shape of the blade for receiving theblade so that the angular cutting edge may extend from the clamp intothe corresponding box face, means for clamping the bladeclamping memberstogether with the blade disposed between them, and means for adjustingthe clamp and the blade toward and from the intersection of the dihedralfaces.

l0. An instrument of the class described for opening a paper box and thelike comprising a 1 other slightly more than a right angle, theinstrument having a groove disposed longitudinally along the line ofintersection of the dihedral faces for receiving a projecting, roundededge between the said adjacent faces, one of the faces having an openingand a guide, a slide disposed near the opening and adapted to beadjusted in the guide toward and from the line of intersection of thedihedral faces comprising two blade clamping members one of which isprovided with a diagonally disposed, blade-receiving cavity, andmeans-for clamping the blade= clamping members together with a bladedisposed between them.

11. An instrument of the class described for opening a paper box and thelike comprising a dihedral angled member the faces of which are,

dihedral faces at a substantial distance away from the edges of thefaces and into the corresponding box face.

12. An instrument of the class described for opening a paper box and thelike comprising a dihedral angled member the faces of which areadapted'to be disposed in contact with adjacent faces of the box, theinstrument being adapted to be moved along the said adjacent faces, theinner portions of the forward ends of the faces being beveled, one ofthe faces having an opening, and a clamp comprising two blade clampingmembers disposed near the opening, the forward end of one of theclamping members being beveled.

13. An instrument of the class described for opening a paper box and thelike comprising a dihedral angled member the faces of which. are adaptedto be disposed in contact with adjacent faces of the box, the insirumentbeing adapted to be moved along the said adjacent faces, one of thefaces having an opening, a guide and a thread ed boss, a slide disposednear the opening and having a recess for receiving the boss and adapt edto be adjusted in the guide toward and from the line of intersection ofthe dihedral faces, a blade clamped on the slide so as to extend intothe corresponding box face, and a screw threaded in the boss forclamping the slide in adjusted position on the guide.

14. An instrument of the class described for opening a paper box and thelike comprising a dihedral angled member the faces of which are adaptedto be disposed in contact with adjacent faces of the box, the instrumentbeing adapted to be moved along the said adjacent faces, a clampcomprising two blade clamping members one of which is provided with ablade-receiving cavity, and two screws for clamping the blade clampingmembers together, one of the clamping members being swingable on theother clamping member about one of the screws.

15. An instrument of the class described for opening a paper box and thelike comprising a dihedral angled member the faces of which are adaptedto be disposed in contact with adjacent faces of the box, the instrumentbeing adapted to be moved along the said adjacent faces, a clampcomprising two blade clamping members, one of the blade clamping membersbeing provided with a diagonally disposed cavity, the other clampingface having a correspondingly diagonally disposed projection, and meansfor clamping the blade-clamping members together.

16. An instrument of the class described for opening a paper box and thelike comprising a one-piece member and handle, the member beingsubstantially in the form of a dihedral angle and the handle beingdisposed'exterior to the dihedral angle near the line of intersection ofthe faces thereof, the faces being adapted to be disposed in contactwith adjacent faces of the box and the instrument being adapted to bemoved along the said adjacent faces by the banreerceo dle, the innerportions of the forward ends of the faces being beveled, the faces beingdisposed at an angle to each other slightly more than a right angle, theinstrument having a groove disposed longitudinally along the line ofintersection of the dihedral faces for receiving a projecting, roundededge between the saidadjacent faces, one-of the faces having an openingand a guide, a slide disposed near the opening and adapted to beadjusted in the guidetoward and from the line of intersection of thedihedral faces comprising two blade clamping members, one of theclamping members being provided with a diagonally disposed cavity, theother clamping face having a correspondingly diagonally disposedprojection, and means for clamping the bladeclamping members together.

17. An instrument of the class described for opening a paper box and thelike, the said instrument having two faces adapted to be disposed incontact with adjacent faces of the box, the instrument being adapted tobe moved along the said adjacent faces and having a longitudinallydisposed groove for receiving a projecting, rounded edge between thesaid adjacent faces, and a blade extending from one of the two faces ofthe instrument info the corresponding box face.

18. An instrument of the class described for opening a paper box and thelike, the said instrument having two faces adapted to be disposedincontact with adjacent faces of the box, the instrument being adaptedto be moved along the said adjacent faces and having a longitudinallydisposed groove for receiving a projecting, rounded edge between thesaid adjacent faces, the faces of the instrument being disposed at anangle to each other slightly more than a right angle, and a bladeextending from one of the .two faces of the instrument into thecoresponding box face.

19. An instrument of the class described for opening a paper box and thelike, the said instrument having two faces adapted to be disposed incontact with adjacent faces of the box, the instrument being adapted tobe moved along the said adjacent faces, the inner portion of the forwardend of one of the faces of the instrument being beveled, and a bladeextending from one of the two faces of the instrument at a substantialdistance away from the edges of the faces of the instrument and into thecorresponding box face.

20. An instrument of the class described for opening a paper box and thelike, the said instrument having two faces adapted to be disposed in 130contact with adjacent faces of the box, the instrument being adapted tobe moved along the said adjacent faces, the inner portions of theforward ends of the faces of the instrument being beveled, and a bladeextending from one of the two 13; faces of the instrument at asubstantial distance away from the edges of the faces of the instrumentand into the corresponding box face.

21. An instrument of the class described for opening a paper box and thelike, the said instru- 140 'rnent having two faces adapted to bedisposed in opening a paper box and the like, the said instru- I menthaving two walls, both of substantial width, adapted to be disposed incontact with adjacent faces of the box, a handle-carrying projectionextending integrally from one of the faces, the instrument beingadaptedto be moved along the said adjacent faces by the handle, one of thewalls having an opening'at a substantial distance away from the freeedges of the walls, and a blade' extending through the opening into thecorresponding box face.

23. An instrument of the class described for opening a paper box and thelike, the said instrument having two walls, both of substantial width,the inner faces of which are adapted to be disposed in contact withadjacent faces of the box, the instrument being adapted to be movedalong the said adjacent faces, the inner portion of one of the facesbeing beveled, one of the walls having an opening extending therethroughat a substantial distance away from the free edges of the walls, a bladeholder disposed near the opening at the outer face of the said one wall,and a blade held by the holder so as to extend through the opening intothe corresponding box face in contact with the inner face of the saidone wall.

24. An instrument of the class described for opening a paper box and thelike, the said instrument having two walls, both of substantial width,the inner faces of which are adapted to be disposed in contact withadjacent faces of the box, the instrument being adapted to be movedalong the said adjacent faces, one of the walls having an openingextending therethrough at a substantial distance away from the freeedges of the walls, a clamp comprising two blade-clamping membersdisposed near the opening at the outer face of the said one wall, ablade adapted to be held between the blade-clamping members so as toextend through the opening and into the corresponding box face incontact with the inner face of the said one wall, and means for clampingthe blade-clamping members together with the blade disposed betweenthem.

25. An instrument of the'class described for opening a paper box and thelike, the said instrument having two faces adapted to be disposed incontact with adjacent faces of the box, the instrument being adapted, tobe moved along the said adjacent faces, and ablade extending from one ofthe two faces of the instrument at a substantial distance away from theedges of the faces of the instrument and into the corresponding boxface, the blade being adjustable toward and from the line ofintersection of the said faces so that it may extend into various partsof the corresponding box face.

26. An instrument of the class described for openinga paper box and thelike, the said instrument having two faces adapted to be disposed incontact with adjacent faces of the box, the instrument being adapted tobe moved along the said adjacent faces, a blade-carrying slide, and ablade held by the slide so as to extend from one of the two faces of theinstrument at a substantial distance away from the edges of the faces ofthe. instrument and into the corresponding box face, the slide beingadjustable toward and from the line of intersection of the said faces sothat the blade may extend into various parts of the corresponding boxface.

LEWIS W. GOLDSTEIN.

